The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-09-23
A First Battle Record.
Correspondent Of the Atlanta Globe-Dem,
ocrat,

Correspondent OF the Atlanta Globs-Dem,
ocrat.
One day in the spring OF '6fI when
the clans Of the Confederacy were
gathering, there tramped into Mont
gomery, then the temporary capital,
q company of fgaunt, wild-eyed, jeans
clad men. As they marched along in
irregular files, with an every man-for-
himself air, somebody on the side
walk called out:
"What command is that?"
Independent Rifles" was the re-
ply shouted back from the ranks.
Independent Rifles" q spectator
echoed with grin.
'Rac-coon Roughs," came from the
free and-easy ranks, III reck'n that'l
suit you-uns.
Every man in the company wore a
coonskin cap, and s'the Raccoon
Roughs" they were from that time on.
The command had been recruited
from the miners and mountainsers of
the northeast corner OF Alabama.
They wese nelghbors and fellow-work-
men whose associations Tapped over
State lines. Their captain was John
b. Gordon, at present the Governor
Of Georgia, but he didn't hold the
position long. "The Raccoon Roughs"
were modified with some other com.
panies, and became the 9th Alabama,
to the command of which Capt. Cor.
don was elected.
At Seven Pines the 9th Alabama re-
ceived it's baptism offire. Before that
there had been some skirmishing, but
this was the first battle, and, as Gov.
Gordon describes the scenes, they
make up for the regiment a first
battle record which probably is
without parallel on either side. A
shade comes over the Governors ex-
pressive face and his voice drops to
lower tones when be talks of that
pay.
81 started on that charge, he said,
with 600 men in my regiment. When
the fighting ended at nightfalI 396 of
the 600 lay on the field dead or
wounded. My Lieutenant Colonel was
killed, my Major was killed, my adju-
tant was killed. OF forty.four com
missioned officers only thirteen
came out Of that days fighting un-
scathed."
Il had brother with me, boy"
Gov. Gordon continued. "He was
shot through the right lung, but re-
covered, only to die with Stonewall
Jackson at Charlottesville. He was
10 years old. | had several bullet
holes In my clothes VIII en- night came,
but was not wounded. One ball rak-
ed across my chest, and would have
shattered my right arm ii hadn't it
uplifted TO point with my sword a
movement | wanted my command to
make.
"The 9th Alabama" the Governor
went on, was opposite portion of
the Federal line which that side had
no idea would be taken. We made
the assault IN the forenoon. There was
a charge across an open field, perhaps
q distance OF 500 yards. Then we
came to breastworks behind which
the Federals were as thick as they
could stand. AS we went ever their
lines we found the evidences that they
had no idea OF being driven back.
Cooking was going on, aud in house
9 meal had been prepared for an
VffSer5 fneSS. we followed them
back of the works and into a swamp
where great many trees had been
telled. 1t was impossible to go ahead
there we stopped, stood in the water
up to our knees and fought till dark.
had to detail men ia there to hold
the heads of the wounded above water
to keep thsn1 from drowning. And
some Of the time / could not find
enough well men to take care Of the
wounded"
Goyernor, do you recolIect Of any
other command which lost SO heavily
in a single charge at any time during
the war;? was asked.
'No" replied the Governor after
little pause, II don't recollect any
thing which was quite equal to It.
Our loss was within three or four men
Of being two-thirds Of the whole rsgi-
mer.9
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